Surfers swarm beaches despite Hurricane Bill's impact

Hurricane Bill swirled past the Jersey shore today, bringing 8- and 10-foot waves that created a banner day for surfers, but beached many swimmers and ocean-going businesses.

Capt. Joe Bogan, owner of the Brielle-based Jamaica II fishing party boat, spent the day working around the boat and napping after 8- and 10-foot swells forced the cancellation of three fishing trips. Two other trips tomorrow are also called off.

"It hurts a lot. This is the end of our season. We normally carry 50 people on a trip, so that's 250 people, on a beautiful weekend in August," he said.

Divers Two, a scuba shop in Avon-by-the-Sea, also cancelled weekend trips, giving staff a day to work in the store. "We're doing all the stuff we don't get to do when we're underwater," said diving instructor Carl Muhlhausen.

But at Cosmic Surf Shop in Toms River, business was booming as surfers flocked in for surfboard wax and short-sleeved wet suits. Manager Scott Frederiksen, who hit the waves at 5 am, said surfers were stoked by the high waves, and were heading to Seaside Heights, Manasquan Inlet, Sandy Hook and Cape May.

"Everybody's in the door and right back out. Everybody's running around like a bunch of ants," he said.

The season's first hurricane -- which was downgraded from Category 2 to Category 1 by late afternoon -- was not expected to strike New Jersey. But high surf advisories were in place along the shore today and as far down the East Coast as the Carolinas, according to a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The waves led to a few mishaps among water sport enthusiasts in New Jersey. Two men fell off Jet-skis in the water near Manasquan Inlet and had to be rescued, while an inexperienced surfer struck his head on his surfboard in Ocean Grove and was taken to the hospital. The 23-year-old surferwas from Iowa and on vacation in New Jersey, said Shawn Chadwick, 23, a lifeguard at Ocean Grove beach.

"We tried warning him. He took a few waves in his head," said Chadwick, who said the surfer was bleeding and nauseous after being in the water just a couple of minutes.

The storm, which is currently about 300 miles south of Nantucket, was expected to pass well off the New England coast, and head toward Canada. Its biggest waves in New Jersey were expected last night.

Bill had maximum sustained winds near 85 mph last night. Surf of up to 15 feet was expected before the storm passed by New Jersey, said NWS meteorologist Gary Conte.

High waves are expected to continue tomorrow, with conditions gradually improving into Monday, he said.

The combination of the hurricane forecast and the hot August weather made for a mixed day in many shore towns. Red flags dotted many beaches, to keep swimmers out of the water.

"We red-flagged all the beaches this morning," said Wally Wall of the Manasquan Beach Patrol. From 9 am to 11 am he said beachgoers were allowed to get wet up to their knees, but that was later amended to let only feet get wet.

But the sun was also shining in places from Long Beach Island to Point Pleasant, causing some shore businesses to complain that the forecast of storms did them in. Jenkinson's Boardwalk in Point Pleasant was less crowded than normal, although it turned out to be a sunny day with a nice breeze, said marketing director Marilou Halvorsen.

"The forecast is what hurt us," she said.

On Long Beach Island, Long Beach Township Beach Patrol Supervisor Don Myers said many beaches were red-flagged in the morning, but were changed to yellow later in the day. Yellow flags mean that swimmers should use caution.

While he had not received reports of today's lifeguard activities yet, Myers said he had not heard any radio calls for back-up, which are required if guards need to go into the ocean for a rescue.

"It's been raining inland like crazy, but we've had sunny weather all day today," he said. "It hasn't been that crowded on the beach because people anticipated there would be rain."

Seaside Heights realtor Kim Valentini said it was sunny there, too, although the beach was not very crowded in the morning. Many of those on the beach were enjoying watching the waves and the surfers, she said.

She said Hurricane Bill hadn't scuttled the weekend, however; one party came in this morning, last-minute, and took a one-week rental.

"It's a normal Saturday for us," she said.

Google MapsManasquan Inlet, where a pair of male adult jet-skiers were rescued in the ocean just before noon.